Fighting Hawks: North Dakota has new, generic nickname
GRAND FORKS, N.D. — The University of North Dakota finished a five-year nickname journey Wednesday, officially adopting “Fighting Hawks” for the school’s new nickname.
North Dakota, Big Sky opponent of Weber State, adopted Fighting Hawks after a runoff vote from Nov. 12-16. The vote was held online among “eligible voters,” according to a release from the university.
While 20 to 28 four-year colleges carry some nickname variation of Hawks, according to various online catalogs of college nicknames, North Dakota voters chose Fighting Hawks over the other choice, Roughriders.
Roughriders was a nod to Theodore Roosevelt’s place in North Dakota state history. Roosevelt famously resigned his post with the Navy to organize and lead the Rough Riders, the first volunteer cavalry in the Spanish-American War.
Less famously, Roosevelt established ranches in the badlands area of North Dakota. His experience there and his love for the area is considered to be what first shaped the United States’ conservation policies, according to the National Parks Service. The badlands of North Dakota now reside in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Roughriders would have made a swell nickname with a unique tie to the state. Instead: Fighting Hawks.
Not to blame the voters too much, however. In going generic, the school and its supporters can avoid another nickname kerfuffle like they experienced over the last five years.
The school initially dropped Fighting Sioux in 2010 after failing to meet NCAA requirements to obtain approval from two Sioux tribes. Four months later, state lawmakers passed a law requiring the school to use Fighting Sioux. After legal battles, the university officially dropped that nickname in June 2012 and has gone without a nickname until Wednesday.
The school does not yet have logos or wordmarks for the new nickname, but will begin implementing it in print and broadcast immediately.
Contact Brett Hein at bhein@standard.net, follow on Twitter @bhein3 and find him on Facebook.